Southeast Asia is facing a renewed surge in Covid-19 cases, with Hong Kong and Singapore recording significant increases in infections, according to recent reports.
In Hong Kong, the virus’s spread has become “quite high,” as noted by Albert Au, head of the Communicable Disease Branch of the city’s Centre for Health Protection. The infection rate in Hong Kong rose dramatically from 1.7% in mid-March to 11.4%, surpassing the peak seen in August 2024. Over the past four weeks, the city reported 30 Covid-related deaths, according to the South China Morning Post.
Singapore has also experienced a notable rise in Covid-19 cases, with the number of infections jumping by 28% in a single week — from 11,100 cases in the previous week to 14,200 between April 27 and May 3. The Singapore Ministry of Health acknowledged the rise but assured the public that hospitals remain capable of managing the situation.
The average daily COVID-19 hospitalizations increased from 102 to 133, but the average daily Intensive Care Unit cases decreased from three to two, the ministry said in a statement. The advisory emphasized that the currently circulating variants do not appear to be more transmissible or severe than previous strains.
Beyond Hong Kong and Singapore, other countries in the region, including China and Thailand, are also observing a rise in Covid-19 cases, health authorities confirmed.
